Clinical significance of soluble interleukin-2 receptor.

The measurement of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in serum has been shown to be useful in a variety of clinical conditions. In autoimmune disorders sIL-2R level correlates with the disease activity and reflects in-vivo immune system activation. Markedly elevated sIL-2R levels were found in certain hematologic malignancies such as adult T-cell leukemia and hairy cell leukemia. In hairy cell leukemia it reflects the tumor burden and response to therapy and can be used as a reliable non-invasive marker of disease activity. The sIL-2R levels at diagnosis predict reliably prognosis in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and in Hodgkin's disease.